Bachelor of Music: Policies
Programs leading to the Bachelor of Music degree are offered in composition, music education, musical theatre, performance (orchestral instruments, organ, piano, collaborative piano, voice), or piano pedagogy. All Music degrees are fully accredited through the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
Academic Electives: Academic electives may be chosen from courses in any field except music (MUS) or music private instruction (MUPI).
Free Electives: May be any course in the CUA Catalog
Advanced Placement: The department of music theory, history, and composition uses the following policy for considering AP Music Theory credits
- Any student that has taken AP Music Theory does not take the Theory Entrance Test. They are automatically placed in MUS 121/123, Ear Training I and Harmony I.
- AP music theory scores will be considered as follows:
- Score = 5. Automatic placement in Ear Training III (MUS 221-01) and Harmony III (MUS 223-01). Credit for Ear Training and Harmony I and II awarded.
- Score = 4. Automatic placement in Ear Training II (MUS 122-01) and Harmony II (MUS 124); Credit awarded for Ear Training and Harmony I. Interview with theory faculty member during week 1 of the fall term to possibly place into Ear Training III and Harmony III.
- Score = 3. Automatic placement in Ear Training II (MUS 122-01) and Harmony II (MUS 124-01). Credit awarded for Ear Training and Harmony I.
- Score = 1 or 2: automatic placement in Ear Training I (MUS 121-01) and Harmony I (MUS 123-01)
Continuation in the BM Degree: In addition to area specific requirements to remain in the respective BM degree all students in the department of music performance must maintain at least a B average in their applied lessons. Failure to maintain a B average at the end of an academic year will result in a review of the student’s suitability as a performance major. If it is determined that the student is not suitable as a performance major the student will be moved to the BA in music in the department of music theory, history, and composition or a major of the student’s choosing.
Courses taken in sequence: The following courses must be taken in sequence, and the student must pass* the previous level before being allowed to register for the next highest level in the sequence:
MUS 101: Fundamentals of Music Theory
MUS 123, 124, 223, 224: Harmony I, II, III, IV
MUS 121, 122, 221, 222: Ear Training-Sight singing I, II, III, IV
MUS 325, 326, 327: History of Music I, II, III
DR 115, 115A, 215, 215A, 315, 315A, 450 Major Courses in Musical Theatre
*Some programs may have additional requirements.
Credit by examination or waiver of coursework: A student who has extensive professional or academic experience in a specific music subject area may request credit by examination or a waiver of coursework. In either case, an examination will be administered by the faculty in specific subject areas, and a faculty recommendation will be submitted to the dean. Credit will be awarded only for outstanding performance in a subject area. If a waiver only is granted in a subject area, an appropriate credit substitution will be made. The maximum number of semester hours a student may achieve by examination in the bachelor's program is six.
Specific credit by examination policy for music theory classes
The Music Theory area will now offer the first lab meeting of all core theory courses (Harmony I - IV; Ear Training I - IV) as an opportunity for students to attempt credit by examination. Credit by exam can only be attempted once for a specific class, and, following Rome School guidelines, the maximum number of credits to be earned in this way is six (bear in mind that all theory courses in the Harmony and Ear Training sequence are two-credit courses). Students can attempt Credit by Exam for Harmony I, Ear Training I, Harmony III, and Ear Training III in the fall term; they can attempt Credit by Exam for Harmony II, Ear Training II, Harmony IV, and Ear Training IV in the spring term. If a given student would want to attempt passing out of two levels (for example, test out of Harmony I and II, and be placed directly into Harmony III), please contact the department chair of music theory, history, and composition directly. Students wishing to attempt credit by exam over the summer should contact the department chair.
Students who earn a 94% or above (an "A") will pass out of the class and be awarded credit for the class (this is done via the department chair of music theory, history, and composition, and the associate dean of undergraduate studies). Students who earn a 90%-93% (an "A-") will pass out of the class, but will still need to complete the credit hours of the music theory course in some form of MUS courses, as determined by their advisor (all core-theory classes are 2 credits; the student and their advisor will need to complete and submit the Curriculum Exception Form). Students who earn a score lower than 90% must take the class.
Dean's List: A dean's list is created for each semester to recognize those music students who in a degree program have achieved at least a 3.75 grade point average in a full-time course load for that semester of a minimum of fifteen credit hours, who do not have an Incomplete in any course*, and who have not incurred a failing grade in either a credit-bearing or non-credit bearing course taken that semester. Repeated courses will not be considered in the 15 credit load.
*Only after an Incomplete has been resolved will dean’s list eligibility be determined for that semester.
Degree Progress: The university policy on undergraduate good academic standing states that “serious shortcomings in academic progress may indicate the necessity for the student to withdraw from the university or be dismissed.” Authority for determining what constitutes serious shortcomings in academic progress rests with the school in which the student is matriculated. The following circumstances are indications of serious shortcomings in academic progress; any student enrolled in a B.M. in Music program to whom these circumstances apply will be subject to academic dismissal from the departments of music:
The student earns a failing grade in the same harmony or ear training course (including any level of Fundamentals of Music, Harmony, and Ear training and Sight singing) two times; the student does not successfully complete Harmony IV and Ear training and Sight singing IV by the end of the fourth year of full-time or part-time study; the student earns two failing grades in any performing ensemble; the student earns two failing grades in private instruction (MUPI) in the principal instrument/voice.
*Note that students pursuing dual or combined degrees who fail to meet the school specific criteria above will only be dismissed from the part of their degree that resides in the School of Music Drama and Art. The school that houses the other part of the degree will reserve the right to make their own determinations based on their policies.
Good standing, probation, dismissal: The departments of music follow university policy on good standing, probation, and dismissal, as outlined in the general section of these Undergraduate Announcements.
Handbook for music students: Students should consult the online Handbook found at http://music.catholic.edu/handbook/index.cfm for music school forms and procedures not detailed in these Announcements.
Incompletes and Extensions of Incomplete: The departments of music follow university policy with regards to Incompletes and Extensions of Incomplete with this clarification: only one Extension of Incomplete will be granted for a given course, requiring dean's permission and documentation supporting the reason for the request. Further extensions will be considered only in extreme cases and with the approval of the instructor, the relevant department head, and the dean.
Independent Study: Except in cases approved by the dean, no more than four Independent Studies may be included in a Bachelor of Music degree program, and the student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
International Baccalaureate: The departments of music follow guidelines established by the School of Arts and Sciences in the awarding of credits to students who have earned the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Minor: Undergraduate students may, in consultation with their adviser, elect to take a minor in a non music area. This may result in additional length of time required to complete the degree. A Minor in Drama is not permitted for students in the Musical Theatre degree program. Undergraduate students may, in consultation with their adviser, elect a music minor among the following: Minor in Piano, Minor in Composition, Minor in Dance, and Minor in Conducting. This may result in additional length of time required to complete the degree.
Music Certification: The Music Education curriculum leads to K-12 Music Certification in the District of Columbia. Pursuit of reciprocal certification with other state departments of education is possible.
Music Teacher Certification Program (non-degree): Although the Music Teacher Certification Program may stand alone, it is also available to undergraduate students who wish to pursue music education certification simultaneously with the completion of a Bachelor of Music degree in a field other than music education. Students are advised that this may result in additional length of time required to complete the degree and are advised to begin the certification program early in their undergraduate program. Students interested in this program should consult with the chair of Music Education.
Overelection: 1. A Junior or Senior music major who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better or who achieves a 3.5 grade point average at the end of a semester may request to enroll in the following semester for one additional credit beyond the allowable maximum of 21. Dean's permission required. 2. A music major may request in one semester of the Senior year a one-credit overelection without achieving the 3.5 grade point average. Dean's permission required.
Participation in productions: Music students derive benefit from participation in many aspects of the management and production of performances. Students may, as part of their educational experience, be assigned various duties in the production of operas, musical theater productions, and orchestral, choral, and chamber music concerts.
Performing organization requirements: Full-time undergraduate students in residence are required to enroll each semester in one of the following performing ensembles according to the requirements of their degree program:
MUS 470 Chamber Choir (by audition)
MUS 470B University Singers
MUS 480 University Symphony Orchestra (by audition)
MUS 480B Wind Ensemble
Transfer music students, whether from another institution or another school within the university, are required to enroll in a performing organization during the semesters in residence. An undergraduate participating in a university-sanctioned semester-long study abroad program or a music education major in his/her semester of student teaching is exempt from this requirement during that semester.
Piano Examinations: Students whose curricula require the Piano Proficiency Examinations must complete the required coursework for their major AND pass the relevant competency exam. Students must register for the 0 credit competency exam IN ADDITION to passing the classes. A student will not be permitted to present the junior recital committee hearing until the relevant examination is passed. Piano competencies are pass/no-grade courses. An Incomplete is not permitted.
Pre-Professional Studies in Conducting: This emphasis may be embedded into one of the Bachelor of Music curricula by advisement. For details, see the information following those curricula.
Private Instruction and degree recital: Students are required to enroll for at least 3 credits (1 hour per week) of private instruction in their major field during the semester in which they present a degree recital.
Private Instruction with part-time faculty: Part-time faculty members teaching private instruction are appointed at an hourly rate by the university. Study with part-time applied faculty is subject to their availability; some part-time applied faculty members teach off campus. Students studying with part-time faculty may be required to pay an additional studio rate.
Recital Policy: Recitals are a privilege allotted only to those students who qualify based on their degree study or who are required by their major to perform a recital. All students performing a recital using University spaces must pass a hearing in the area in which their lessons reside. Each area has different policies on requirements for non music majors who wish to present a recital; please check with individual area heads for specific instructions on hearings and recitals. In general BM majors are required to present a 30 minute recital in their junior year and a 60 minute recital in their senior year. BM Music Ed. Majors with an emphasis in General-Choral education are required to present a 45 minute recital with a combination of lecture/singing by advisement. Students in the BA Music Performance track are required to present a senior recital on their major instrument. Recital hearings must be scheduled, performed, and approved in completion at least two weeks prior to the recital date.
Theory Evaluation Test: Entering undergraduate students are given the Theory Evaluation Test to determine their placement in music theory. If you have taken AP Music Theory, you are exempt from the test and are automatically placed in MUS 121/123, Ear Training I/Harmony I. Based on the results of the test, students may be required to complete successfully Fundamentals of Music Theory (MUS 101) before enrolling in MUS 121 and MUS 123. If an incoming student is placed in Fundamentals of Music Theory (MUS 101), he/she is advised that it may take more than four years to complete the bachelor's degree. Transfer students with no prior college level music theory coursework take the Theory Entrance Test; those with prior college level theory coursework should submit syllabi and a transcript for evaluation/placement to the department of Music Theory, History, and Composition. Students are required to take History of Music I, II, and III (MUS 325, 326, 327) in the sequence listed.
Transfer credits: For credits to be transferred from another institution, the other institution must be regionally accredited, the grade received in the course must be "C" or higher, the course must be applicable to the degree being pursued at CUA, and the course must first be evaluated for equivalency. When transferring credits, if a student's prior institution awarded more credits for a course than CUA awards for an equivalent course, the course will be transferred with the original number of credits; the additional credits will not reduce the number of required or elective courses in the major. For Musical Theatre students, dance courses will be transferred at the original number of credits, but the student is still required to take a total of eight dance courses per the Musical Theatre degree requirements. If a student's prior institution awarded fewer credits for a course than CUA awards for an equivalent course, the missing credits must be made up in music electives. An exception to this latter policy will be applied lessons for which the student's prior institution awarded one or two semester hours of credit for weekly hour-long lessons during the entire course of a semester; in such cases, CUA will award three semester hours of credit upon written confirmation from the institution.
For the transfer of theory courses, the following policies are in force:
- An incoming transfer student must submit course syllabi and a transcript to the department chair for any college-level theory courses that are to be considered for transfer. If they have no prior coursework, they should take the Theory Entrance Test.
- A current student wishing to transfer in one or more theory courses must first have the course(s) evaluated by the relevant department, and if the course is/courses are determined to be equivalent, must pass the relevant course with a grade of "C” or higher in order for credits to be transferred.